Oral Performance
Jacy had a sense of humor…one that dabbled in the ribald. A good trait for a woman who had to move among all varieties of men in the black. Jacy: “Not a problem, Dorian, I am accustomed to taking my nourishment in a liquid state.” Whether more of her skilled flirtation or not, the dentist chose not to take the bait. “A shot or two of liquor won’t harm you,” he said, his back turned toward her as he worked. “Won’t harm me, either, come to think of it.” Jacy: “What kind of timeframe should I anticipate for full functionality? I sometimes need my mouth for things other than speaking and eating.” She was obviously enjoying this, a good sign of her condition and demeanor. Dorian faced Jacy one again as he touched a cold pack, wrapped in cloth, to her cheek. “Cold packs as often as you want during the next few days,” he said. “We’ll place couple in the galley freezer. As to full functionality, I anticipate we’ll have your mouth back to normal in a week. Permanent crowns and healing should all be good to the naked eye by then,” he replied. Jacy: “I may take up smoking; Vas makes it look so cool.” She shook her head vigorously at Dorian in the negatory. “Should I be worried about this daily irrigation?” Dorian chuckled. “Just the taste,” he said. “Come see me every day around mid afternoon. I’ll irrigate your gum with a growth solution that’ll help it to heal more quickly. But for now,” he concluded with a grand gesture, “I’m setting you free. You should go to your bed and get some rest. I’ll let the captain know you’re off duty for a full day.” He took her hand, assisting her as she rose to her feet. “One more thing,” he offered. “A mild degree of pain and an occasional bit of blood is all normal post-op. They tell me I’m in the Number 4 suite. If you notice anything serious or have significant pain, come see me.” He smiled. “Now get some rest. You earned it.” Tag Jacy> Dorian watched the young woman make her careful way from the medical bay. From behind him, the sounds of activity told him that Dillon was already working to put the space to rights. “You did well today,” he said over his shoulder. “I’m not certain the captain plans on more than two medical positions among his crew, but I will put in a word for you with Dr. Aello if you wish.” Tag Dillon> He removed the surgical apron and cap, tossing both into the laundry hamper atop those of his assistant. “You should go grab something to eat,” Adler said. “I’ll finish up here.” Tag Dillon> The autoclave was old. At first, Dorian was concerned that it might not hold the pressure for a full sterilization cycle, a fear happily proven to be unfounded. After sanitizing both the treatment surface and the countertops, he then proceeded to stock the pharmacy cabinet with the haul he’d gotten at Nguyen Brothers. The cabinet was well ordered; he could see Aello’s hand at it. Her organized pattern was easy to follow as he filled the shelves. Once the task was complete, Dorian pulled a stout combination lock from his bag to secure the cabinet. Given the complications of Jacy’s self medicating and his impressions of the girl Haddie, it seemed the prudent course to have a combination he’d share only with Aello and the Captain. He checked the autoclave. Finding he had about ten minutes’ wait to retrieve his instruments, Dorian settled onto the work stool. To his right sat the bowl of oatmeal, long gone cold and congealed. He’d heard the captain’s concerns about food for this particular run. Considering breakfast had been a shot of whiskey at the Lucky Cat, the dentist needed no further justification. “Waste not,” he muttered as he dug in with the spoon.